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India women’s table tennis team beat fourth seeded Romania to continue their strong show at Paris Olympics. read more
 "India women's table tennis team beat Romania, into quarterfinals")
Manika Batra beat Bernadette Szocs of Romania in their singles match during the women's team competition of the Paris Olympics. Reuters
India women’s table tennis beat fourth seeds Romania 3-2 to march into the quarterfinals at the Paris Olympics on Monday (August 5). This is India women’s team’s maiden appearance at the Olympics.
Paris Olympics: News, schedule, medals tally and more
India will take on the winner of the United States vs Germany match which will be played tomorrow (August 6).
The Indian team of Sreeja Akula, Archana Girish Kamath and Manika Batra looked to be coasting towards the finish line at 2-0 with wins in doubles and singles. To make things more comfortable, India had won both their matches in straight games.
But Romania roared back to clinch the next two singles rubbers and keep themselves in it. The Indian team then capitalised on Batra’s experience to progress.
In the first match of the tie, Sreeja Akula and Archana Girish Kamath beat Adina Diaconu-Elizabeta Samara 11-9, 12-10, 11-7.
In the second, a women’s singles clash, Manika Batra stunned the tenth ranked Bernadette Szocs 11-5, 11-7, 11-7.
Sreeja Akula then had the opportunity to close the tie out with a whitewash but Samra staged a comeback to keep Romania in it. In a topsy turvy clash, the Romanian veteran won 11-8, 4-11, 11-7, 6-11, 11-8.
Kamath had the chance to put the tie to bed but the youngster went down 5-11, 11-8, 7-11, 9-11.
With backs against the wall, the tie score reading 2-2, India turned to Batra to get the team out of a logjam. The three-time Olympian delivered just when it mattered to beat Diaconu 11-5, 11-9, 11-9.
It has already been a remarkable campaign for the women paddlers at the Paris Olympics. Batra and Sreeja made the Round of 16 in the women’s singles event - the furthest India’s singles players have gone at an Olympics.
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